TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he ordered his government to confirm the safety of airplanes and ships that were potentially in the area of a North Korean missile launch, Jiji News said on Wednesday.

Abe also asked his government to provide the Japanese people with quick and accurate information about the missile launch, Jiji reported.

North Korea fired two mid-range ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast and towards Japan early on Wednesday, South Korea's military said as the leaders of South Korea, Japan and the United States discussed North Korea's arms programmes.